Granite Mountain with a toddler
A few weekends ago we decided to tackle Granite Mountain. Our schedule has been jam packed with travel these past few months, so we have not been able to get out hiking as often as we would've liked to. Hiking Granite Mountain is one of our favorite things to do in the Summer and early Fall. And it never feels like Summer until we have tackled a handful of our favorite hikes.
One of my favorite parts about hiking, aside from the gorgeous scenery and fresh mountain air is the ability to push my body. Oftentimes, it is easy to fall short and not realize our full potential. Hiking gives me the ability to to set a small goal like going on a particular trail and achieving it in a day or two. Now that we have children I think it is especially important to be a good role model of how to establish a healthy lifestyle when you are young. What I want more for my children than anything else is to have a full life bursting with activity and healthy eating.
Jasper may not be old enough to summit a mountain on his own, but we try to give him an opportunity to run around exploring when we reach the top. Jasper is "all boy" and he loves to throw rocks, play with sticks and get dirty. During our lunch break we let him try out our hiking poles, eat extra snacks and drink out of our Camelbak to get the full hiking experience.
On this particular hike, I brought along some of his Itsy Bitsy cookies to help him work on his words. For example, I spelled out the word "hike" on a nearby rock. I am a big proponent of the allowing the world be your classroom, so I try to spend our time in the mountains as an opportunity to talk to Jasper about the names of flowers, lakes and mountain peaks. One thing Jasper has perfected without any teaching is the trail nap. Seeing him peacefully sleep on the top of a mountain is one of those moments which makes my heart soar.
I am endlessly grateful we live in a beautiful place where we can enjoy being outside all year long. The number one thing I looked forward to about being a parent was the ability to take our child to all the spectacular places we have been. My most honored role in life is being able to show my child all the beauty I see in the world. Hiking is my escape and I love living less than a hour away from all this goodness. Especially as I get older, I am grateful for a healthy body which allows me to go and do and be without thinking much about anything else while I am doing it.
